Cotton gin feeder



Oct. 4, 1932. B. P. BILLARD COTTON GIN FEEDER Filed Feb. 19, 1932 EMM- box.

"bodying my invention,

Patented Oct. 4, `1932 insetti COTTON GIN 4 appneenon feed. February is, i932.- seriai massacre.

My invention relates to cotton gins, and has particular reference to automatic means for regulating the feed of the cotton to the roll r-.n important object provide means to autor atically regulate tlie feed of cotton to the roil non, which means is controlled by theaccun ulation of cotton upon the roll Within the roll box.

A further object of the invention is to provide means of the above-mentioned character, which is adjustable to operate nn der different selected tensions, whereby the cotton Will be automatically fed to the roll to maintain the cotton upon the roll at a desired tightness.

@ther objects and advantages of the inv-ention Will be apparent during the course of the following description.

in the accompanying drawing, forming a part of this specification, in which like nuf merals are employed to designate corresponding parte throughout the same,

Fignrer1 is an end elevation of a gm em- Figure 2 is a fragmentary the same,

Figure 3 is a perspective view of the paivl shifting means, and, j

Figure 4 is a. side elevation, partly diagrammatic, of the float or gin breast.

In the accompanying drawing, wherein for the purpose of illustration'is shovvn a preferred embodiment of my invention, the nuside elevation of 'meral 5 designates a roll boX of a cotton gin,

within which is mounted to rotate a roll 6, in operative relation to gin saws 7, as is Well known. rEhe means to feed the cotton to the rcllbox and to the roll 6 embodies a hopper i8, having a pair of transverse shafts 9, eX-

tending therethrough, Which carry the usual feed rolls, not shown. rlhese shafts are driven in unison, and in opposite'directions by gears 10, engaging as shown. One shaft 9 has a ratchet Wheel 11, rigidly secured thereto, which serves to drive the shaft 9.

The ratchet'vvheel 11 is turned by means of upper and lower pavvls 12 and 13, which are pivotally mounted upon al vertically swinging lever 14, as shown at 15 and 16. The

of my invention is tev lever 14 is supported by a pivot 17, carried by a lined support 18. During the operation, the lever 14 is continuously oscillated' by means of a link 19, having pivotalconnection with the lovver end of the lever 14, by means of a bolt 20, or the like, adjustable Witl in a longitudinal slot- 21, to regulate the throw of the lever 14. The link 19 is pivotally connected vvith a Wheel 22, Which is driven by a pulley 28, receiving its rotation from any suitable source. V7 hen the pulley 23 is rotated, it is thus seen that the lever 14 is oscillated, and the pawls 12 and 13 Will intermittently actuate the ratchet Wheel 11, toleifect a step by step turning movement of the same'. o

Controlling means are provided for regulating the action of the pavvls 12 and 13, comprsinga lever 24, Which is pivotally supported at its outer endas shown at 25. This lever has a lifting element 26 rigidly attached to its inner or free end, and this lifting element embodies oppositely facing' pockets 27 and 28, receiving pavvls 12 and 13, respectively. The pocket 28islonger than the pocket 25?, whereby the end Wall of pocket 27 Will elevate pavvl 12 out of engagement With the ratchet wheel 11, before the vend `Wall of pocket 28 Will elevate paivl 13 out of engagement with this ratchet Wheel. rlhe lever 24 has pivotal connection between its ends, as

. shovvnat 29, with a oonnectingrod 30, which is longitudinally adjustable by means of a turning buckle 31, or the like. The lovver end l of this connecting rod is pivotally connected with a tension element or lever extension 32, as shown at 33. This tension element is pivotally supported at itsforivard ond by a linedV pin or pivot 34.' At itsrear end, the tension lthis roll, and to be moved'outvvardly by such engagement. This float or breast is preferably provided at its free end With a laterally extending flange 39, formovement intoaref claims.

cess 40, formed in the stationary bar 41. The float or breast 38 is of substantially the same length as the roll 6,. Arranged beneath the adapted to engage within notches 45, formed upon the tension element 32. By moving the spring 42 from the pivot`34, the downward pull of the tension element 32 is increased, which increased tension is imparted to the float-or breast 38. Therefore, the cottonwill be wound upon the roll 6 with a greater tightness before such wound cotton will shift the iioat 38 outwardly, to cut down kor stop the feed ofcotton to the roll.k

.Thegoperation'of the machine is as follows The roll 6 .and s'aws7A operate in the usual manner, to Vgin the cotton, and the cotton is fed from 'the feeding means by the action of the pawls 12 and 13 upon the ratchet wheel 11. The spring 42 being adjustedupon the tension element32, to the desired point `fromv the pivot 34, the feeding means will continue to feed cotton to the roll box 5, which cotton is wound or accumulates upon the roll 6. vWhen thev accumulation of cotton upon the roll 6 reaches a selected thickness,and tightness, such cottonwill force the float 38 upwardly and rearwardly. This action swings the; forward end of the lever 38 upwardly, swinging the rear or inner end of the .tension elementl 32 upwardly. This upward movement of the tension elem-ent 32-raises the rod 30, causing lifting element 26 to first move the upper pawl 12 out of engagement with the ratchet wheel, and the lower pawl 13 maybe subsequently moved upwardly out of engagement with the'ratchet wheel. The

reduced in speed or stopped, to regulate the supply of cotton to the roll box. When the thickness and tightness ofthe cotton upon rolls of the feeding means may thus be either the roll 6 drops belows a'selected point, the

tension element 32 again moves downwardly, whereby pawls 13 and 12 Ywill engage the ratchet wheel 11, in the order stated, again eecting itsturning movement, to supply an additional'amount of cotton to the roll box.A

It is thus seen that the operation-of the control means is entirely automatic, and that the tightness of the cotton wound upon the drum 6 withinthe roll box, may be regulated byl L adjusting the spring 42 longitudinally upon the tension element 32. i

Itis to be'understood that the form of my inifention herewith shown Vand described is to be .taken as theV preferred example of .the

same, and that various changes in the shape,

size and arrangement of parts may be resorted to without .departing from the spirit of theinvention or the scope ofthefsubjoined to be adjusted longitudinally of the tension elem-ent, mechanism for feeding cotton to the roll box, and means to regulate the action of said mechanism, including a part having connection with the tension element. y 2.' Thecombination with a' gin embodying a roll box, and a roll therein, of a iioat disposed upon one side of the roll and pivotally supported `to turn about its longitudinal axis, a lever connected with the float vto turntherewith, a tension element having its outer end' supported by a fixed'pivot and its inner end pivotally connected with said lever, a spring engaging the tension element and adjustable longitudinally of the same, mechanism for feeding cotton to the roll box including a pawl and ratchet, and means to lift the pawl out of engagement with the ratchet, said means being connected with the tension ele-V ment to be moved thereby.,

3. The combination with a. gin embodying a roll box and roll therein, of a pivoted float arranged near and upon one side of the roll, a lever connected with the float to turn therewith, a tension element having a fixed pivot near' its outer end and .also pivotally connected -with the lever near its inner end, yielding means engaging the tension element at a point between its pivots to swing the innerend ofthe tension element downwardly, mechanism for feeding cotton to the roll box, and means to regulate the action of said mechanism including a part connected with the tension velement at a point between the pivot-sof the tension element.- j Y 4. The combination with a gin embodying a roll box and roll therein, of a pivoted float disposed upon one side of the roll, av lever connected with the float to move therewith, a generally horizontal tension element havlng its outer end'supported by a fixed pivot and its inner end a retractile coil spring arranged beneath the tension element and having its upper end engaging the tension element and adjustable longitudinally of the same, mechanism for feedingv cottonrto the roll box including a pawl and ratchet, and means tov liftvthe pawl out'of engagementl with the Y ratchet, said means being connected withv the tension element to be moved thereby.

In testimony whereof,

.j BENJAMIN P. BILLARD.

I'aiixm signature.'V i y s ,30 i 

